Hopper-car with articulated truck.



J. M. ROHLHNG.

HOPPER CAR WITH ARTIGULATBD TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED -MAY 23,1914. .1,1059600. Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

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'J'. M. ROHLFING.

HOPPBR GAR WITH ARTIGULATBD 111110K.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 23, 1914.

m9111911 sept. 1,1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Z E e7 J. M. ROHLHNG. HOPER GAR WITH ARTICULATED TRUCK.

APPLIGATIGH FILED MAY 23, 1914.

l Patented Sept. 1, wie.

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ooooco oaoauacoco J. M. ROHLFING.

HOPPER GAR WITH ARTIGULATBD TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1914. El @9959@ Patented Sept. 1, 19M

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Ivg I Y J. M. ROHLFING. HOPPER CAR WITH ARTICULATED TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1914.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

If I' INVENTOR WITfvEssEs.-

. Ny", v Zu/@UAI G CY K i 5 f JK ATTORNEY UNITED STATESA T .igmTENT ormoni.

JOHN M. ROHLFING, OF ST. LOUIS., MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAB: AND FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, ,I'YIISSOUBI, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

HOPPER-CAR WITH ARTICULATED TRUCK.

Specification @Letters latent.

Application filed "lay 23, 1914.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914. serial No. 840,552.

Ivention is not limited to the 4enact details of construction shown and described, as 1t 1s obvious that various modifications thereof Will occur to persons skilled 1n the art.

In said drawings: Figure l is a plan view .of the car, partly broken away to disclose a portion of the underframe. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the underframe. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the articulated truck upon which the car body is supported, the outline of the latter being indicated in dot and dash lines. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the ear. Fig. 5 shows approximately onehalf the car and is principally a central longitudinal section but is in side elevation at the middle portion of the car. Fig. G is a transverse sectional View taken on line G-`G, of Fig. 4, and illustrates the means for iniparting the buihng and pulling stresses to the truck. Fig. T is another transverse sectional view taken on line 7*1' of Fig. it, disclosing the means for carrying and guiding the car body upon the truck. Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of that part of the carrying and guiding means which Ais carried by the truck, a depending portion from the car body bearing plate being also shown in section. FiO- 9 is a diagrammatic view in cross l,section of a typical Vore dock, indicating the method of the transference of the lading from cars to the holds of vessels; and Fig. l0 is a fragmentary plan view of the deck,

. showing the equally gaged rails of the trackage, and also the openings to the ore pockets arranged therebetween.

' Theobject of the invention is to provide a hopper car whichmis especially adaptable to the.ox"e-carrying`I trade, the' car being so arranged that its Alading may be discharged into pockets or receptacles spaced apart a predetermined distance.

The transportation of ore from the mines to the docks at the Great Lakes and the unloading of the ore from the cars on .the docks into the vessels, or into hoppers which discharge into the Vessels, is an important problemvin connection with the economical production of iron and steel, and the railroad companies engaged in the transportaY tion of ore have erdeavoredY to simplify tl'." handling of the ore as much as possible. 'l that end the Duluth, Missabe & Northern Railway vhas at Duluth large shipping docks, each dock being about 2,300 ft. long, with something lessthan 400 ore pockets, and the total storage capacity of these pockets is nearly 270,000 tons. The equipment for carrying the ore from the mines to the docks includes a large number of steel and wooden cars, which are especially designed and of such length and width as to facili- A representation of such docks is shown in Figs. 9 and l0. The docks C are elevated a considerable distance above the water level, and along the upper decks D of the-se docks tracks are provided on which ore cars E travel, the tracks being so disposed that cars may run upon any two .of the rails; that is to say, where, four rails F are laid, the inside rails may serve' as an intermediate track, o1' either outside rail and the inside rail next to it may constitute another track. Thus, the gage between all of the rails being of the same standard, with proper switching to avoid interference of cars, the lading may be distributed transversely of the dock in all the pockets to utilize the en-l tire capacity of the latter. Between the rails openings G to the pockets H are provided, Which openings are nearly equal to the distance between such rails, and at intervals longitudinally of the tracks, bridges I bridges men may stand while engaged in poling the ore. The men who use the bridges are provided with long poles, which are used in breaking bridges of ore which may form in the pockets While feeding the ore through chutes J into the holds of the vessels used in .water transportation. Because of the fixed sizes of the openings and the distance apart of such openings longitudinally of the tracks, and the impracticabiltyof altering the expensive zand permanent construction of such docks, ithas been found that cars of relatively small capacity were best available for this ore-carrying (service. This vhas largely increased the number of cars necessary, and because of the disadvantages incident to handling va large number of small cars the present invention provides in a single car twin hoppers whicln are spaced apart a predetermined distance longitudinally of the car, so as to permit both of such hoppers to register with the' openings in ,the docks leading to the or'e pockets.

An articulated truck especially adapted to cooperate with the predeterminedly spaced hoppers of the present car is fully disclosed in a companion application tiled on an even date herewith, under the title of Articulated Truck, and also partly shown in the drawinor of the present application.

y reason of th arrangement shown I am able to carry in one car as much ore as has heretofore been carried in two separate cars, and am able to discharge the lading at the docks with equal or greater facility than where two cars'arc employed at the same time, and provide a structure which is better adapted to railway service and one which can be used on roads having sharp curves, such as are common in the orecarrying lines which lead froin'the mines to and onto the docks.

Because ot' the. construction of the car illustrated iu the accompanying drawings` such car will carr)y heavy loads with a Illinimum ot' strains on the bod)v because each pair otthe supporting bearingr plates for the car body, located toward opposite ends of the car` can be placed at or near the transverse center plane ot the load at its respective end. so that the load at each hopper will practically coiiutcrbalance itselt` above the points ot support.

lcl'erring specifically to the car body, it will be noted that the car bodyv consists of two hoppers whiclrare spaced apart b v means ol the deckV plate ll, ,shown in plan in Fig. l. llach hopper comprises an end plate lll. sideplatcs ll and sloping inner end plate lL. The plates lll and ll are. vertical l'or sonrdistance l'rom their tops and then bent inwardly to a slope suitable for discharging the lead within the hopper` while plates l2 have a continuous unbroken slope from top to bottom.

Plates 12 of the spaced hoppers are connected by the deck plate B, which, likepthe side plates 11, is connected with the top chords 14, whichmay be Z-bars, ofthe car sides. Plates 1Q and B are stiflened and reinforced 'by members 15, 16 and 17 of any suitable shape and dimensions, but here illustrated, respectively, as channels and angle irons, these members being secured to the car' the central part of the truck may be inspecty ed when desired.

The side and end plates of the car body are riveted to side top chords 14 and end top chords 21, the latter also preferably made of Z-barsQwhic-h chords at the corners are connected by corner pieces 2Q withr their inner edges ona slope 28, to facilitate the discharge. of the load, and, to the same end, the vertices ofv the inclined portions of the hopper corners are provided with triangular shedding surfaces 2.' n.

The side. and end plates are connected to side sills Q0 and end sills 24 by stakes 25 and 2G, respectively, corner posts 27 connecting side plates and end plates and being attached to side sills, and filler posts 28 rest upon the side sills and support sloping. parts of the side sheets 1 1. the whole forming a strong` and substantial combination for carrying heavy loads and withstanding severe service stresses. Y

The side sills Q0 and end sills 24 are of box girder construction,'preferably made up of commercial channels and plates of suitable sizes connected in a strong and substantial manner. as by top and bottom cover plates or by properly distributed tie plates, the filler pests L and certain castings serving as tie plates. in the car illustrated.

'l'he end sills are covered on top by plate threugh which pass cud stakes Q6, as shown in Figs. l. il and 7.

'.lo the bottom of the end sills and the extremities of the side sills are secured strong plates S0, to which are riveted castings 3l. which serve as striking plates and also as containers of the draft rigging. The castings Ill. are designed to cariv twin dra l't riggings ot' suitable construction and size. though such draft rigging' is not material to the present invention and is not illustrated.

Members 32 of suitable shape and size,y

commercial channels servin well, are secured to the side sills and plates 30 to stiffen these ,plates and to prevent buckling. The members 32 are disposed in such position as to serve as a support for the sloping lower portions of the end sheets of the hoppers. `Below the sloping parts of the outer hopper end sheets 10 and the inner sloping hopper sheets l2 are vertical sheets 33, best shown in Figs. 5 and 6, which vertical sheets are secured to the lower portions of said hopper sheets l0 and l2 and serve as guides for the discharging load in unloading the car.

- Each hopper oiening is closed by a pair of doors 3, Whic doors are hung on hinge butts 35, or the like, which are secured to the side sills and side hopper plates, substantially as shown in Figs.. 5 and 7, and the door operating mechanism may be of any suitable kind.

To the bottom portion of the side sills, approximately at the longitudinal center thereof, vare secured one on each side`of the car strong castings. 36, which 'are used in transmitting pulling and buiiin stresses from the car body to the truc These castings it and slide transversely in castings 36a on the truck and control rollers 37, which rest on the truck castings, but as such castings are not intended to carry any material part of the load under normal conditions, some vertical clearance 1s left `between the car body castings and truck castings, and also between the rollers and car body castings. If lfor any reason the side sills of the car should sag so much that the castings bear against the rollers, it will bring such rollers into action and prevent jamming. To the side sills are also secured four bearing-plate castings 38, having vertical downward projections 39, which castings constitute carrying and guiding means bctivcen the car body and truck, as they rest upon and slide over the rollers 39 in the truck-bearing castings 38a, while projections 39 slide longitudinally in the truck castings which thus control transverse movements of the car body. Socallcd bearing plate castings 38 are secured to the side sills at points to correspond With locations of truck-bearing plate castings, which thus equalize the load on the truck wheels. The details are shown in Figs. l, a" and At the ends of the car even with thc lop chords of the car body are placed wooden platforms l() secured to and supported ou bars all and brackets 12, which are secured to the ends of the car body. See particularly Fig. 5.

lVhat l claim is:

l. ln a dumping car, a car body provided with hoppers at each end with an intermediate connecting portion, in combination with continuous side sills, a truck intermediate said hoppers, and means for connecting the car body and truck. y

2, In a dumping car, a rigid car body provided with Hoppers at each end with an intermediate connecting portion, in com binaton with a truck intermediate said ho pers, and means for connecting the car and truck. e,

3, In a dumping car, a car body provided with hoppers having discharge openings in each end 'portion thereof, supports near each end of said bod and a .truck slidably connected with said body intermediate the discharge openings of said hop ers.

4. In combination, an artcu ated truck and a ho per car body(-mov'able lon itudinally Wit- 1 relation to apart of sai truck and transversely relative to another part of said truck. '.j

5. In a car, an articulated truck com-- prising an intermediate section and two end sections supported at their .end portions on said intermediate section, in combination with a rigid body portion having hoppers in each endthereof adapted to discharge within said truckend portions and to move transversely of said intermediate truck portion.

6. In a car, a car body provided with longitudinally spaced hoppers, a truck .substantially coextensive with said body, and means slidably connecting a side frame of said truck With a rigid part of said car bod (.y In a carya car body provided vvith longitudinally spaced hoppers, a truck substantially coextensive With saidfbody, and means slidably connecting a side frame of said truck Witha rigid part of said car body intermediate said hoppers.

8. In a car, side sills and longitudinally spaced hoppers,` in combination with an articulatedv truck .provided with side frame members, and slidable connecting means intermediate said sills and'rnembers;

9. In a car, longitudinally spaced hoppers in combination with connected means sup-- porting said hoppers, and an articulated truck directly supporting said means.

l0. In a car, a carl bod comprising a bottomy ehordgja top chor members extending betvveensaid chords, longitudinally spaced hopper's having discharge openings belovv7 said bottom chords, in combination.

sideA frame. 11. In a car, a bottom chord, a top chord and longitudinally spaced hoppers havin discharge openings belowandbetween saigl bottom chords, in combina-tion with an articulated truck, and s'lidable means connecting said bottom chord and said truck.

12. In. a hopper car, spaced side support'- ing members, an articulated 4truck"compi-iii:

with an articulated truck provided with a ing side frames, and slidable connecting means intermediate Said supporting members and said side frames.

13. In a car, a car body comprising spaced apart connected hoppers, side sills connected therewith, an articulated truck with side 'frames below said side sills, and connected car body supporting means between each side sill and truck side frame within or near the transverse central plane of each hopper.

14. In a car, a car body having side sills, an articulated truck having side frames therebelow, and slidably connected body guiding, supporting and retaining meanssecured to said sills and truck frames.

l5. In a hopper car, a car side comprising a top chord, a box girder bottom chord, side and corner stakes, and sheet plates connected with said top chord and portions of said stakes, certain of said sheet plates being bent inwardly below their points of attachment to said stakes and forming sides of hoppers, said bottom chord being slidably supported upon pivotally connected members or an articulated truck.

16. In a hopper car, 'side and end top chords, lading-shedding corner `pieces connecting the same, box girder side and end sills, the former being adapted to have movement relatively longitudinal to certain membersof an articulated truck and transverse movement respecting another part thereof, side and corner stakes connecting said side top chords and side sills, end stakes connecting said end top chords and end sills, and hoppers at each end of the ear secured to said top chords and stakes and having unobstructed discharge openings substantially laterally coextensive with the distance between the side sills.

17. In a dumping car, a car body comprising top side and end chords, lading-shedding corner pieces-connecting the same, side sills substantially coextensive with said 4bodyg the latter being adapted to have combined longitudinal and transverse movement with respect to an articulated truck, end sills connected with said side sills, spaced apart hoppers, a deck plate and intermediate side sheets connecting the same, and strengthening members for said intermediate sheets.

18. In a dumping car, a car body adapted to have combined longitudinal and transverse movement with respect to an articulated truck and comprising spaced apart lioppcrs joined by an intermediate reinforced plate structure, each hopper adapted to discharge between side sills and comprising vertical side and outer end plates, the lower portions of which converge inwardly, vand an inner inwardly inclined end plate, downwardly extending discharge-guiding plates secured to said outer and innerend plates, and suitable doors for the discharge opening,\ the inverted pyramidical portion of the hopper having lading-shedding corners. l

19. In a dumping car, a car body comprising connected side and end top chords, connected open box girder side sills and box girder end sills, sidev and end stakes joining said top chords and sills, spaced apart hoppers secured to said top chords and stakes and having inverted pyramidieal, bottom portions, ller posts resting upon said side sills and supporting sloping. side sheets of said hoppers, car body carrying vand guiding means slidably connected to an 'articulated truck and stress transmitting mem`v bers both secured to said side sills, said filler posts, carrying means and stress transmitting members tying together elements of said box girder side sills.

20. In a car, a car body comprising side sills including tied-together spaced longitudinal members, end sills comprisingA spaced longitudinal members, top plates and bottom plates, the latter extending rearwardly beyond said end sill and being secured vto said side sills, combined striking plate and draft rigging containing structures supported by said bottom plates, stitfeners for said bottoni plates adapted also to support `hopper end sheets, andend stakes passing through said top plates and secured to the end sills, said car body being slidably connected to and having relatively longitudinal and transverse movement with respect to different articulated truck members.

2l. In' a hopper car, a car body mounted uponv an articulated truck and comprising continuous side sills coextensive with said body, spaced apart hoppcrs with outwardly and downwardly extending inner end plates, a deck plate and intermediate side sheets connecting the same, the bottom ot' said sheets being lmaterially spaced above said side sills, whereby space is pmvided between said hoppcrs vfor the installation of air brake equipment and door operating mechanism and for the inspection thcreol' and ot' said articulated truck.

In a hopper car, a raf body mounted upon and guided by an articulated truck, said body comprisingconnected top Side und end chords, connected sideI and end sills, i

bottom plates secured to said end sills, cxtcnding rearwardly thereof and attached to said side sills, stakes connecting said top chords and the sills, spaced apart hoppers having inner and outer end sheets and conenin members, tying together saidtop side f chor s, inner ho per end sheet reinforcing ulated truck members and laterally of 'a transversely slidable truck member, said body comprising spaced hoppers and intermediate. means connecting the same, said hoppers having discharge openings predeterminedly spaced in accordance with lading-receiving openings in 'an ailiated structure distinct from said car,.and said hoppers being adapted to discharge' their loads through. and within said oscillatory ntruck members.

24. In a dum ing car, a car body adapted to be supporte u on an articulated truck and comprising si e sills, spaced 'apart but connected hoppers with inwardly inclined wall portions forming discharge openings Within andlbelow said side sills, doors forl closing said openings, and hinge butts for hanging said doors, said hinge butts being secured to said side sills and4 adapted to sup-A port certain of .said inclined hopper wall" portions. c l

. 25. In' combination, a car body adapted be supported upon oppositely extending `members of an articulated truck whic members are commonl pivoted with an in'- termediate member a a ted to slide transversely of said body, sllls included in the body, pulling and buin stress-transmitt' elements secured centra y of said sills, an

adapted to cofact with stress-receiving ele'- ments carried by said intermediate truck member, said stress and rcceivlng elements normally being adapted to have rictionless movement transversely of the sil s,` and anti-friction means between said elements" operable under abnormal stress. Y

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two vvitnesses.

JOHN MLROHLFING. 

